Grado Prestige Series Model SR60i and HD414 pads (reverse quarter mod)

Back in 2009, I bought a Grado Prestige Series SR60i Padded Headphones. Since then, I have been enjoying the great Grado sound. The original Grado S-Cush pads eventually wore out and I bought a pair of Grado L-Cush pads ("holey pads" - donut shaped pads for Grados) as a replacement. After some time, these pads were also worn out (bits of black sponge started to crumble off).

So, I got a pair of Sennheiser HD414 yellow ear pads. These are known to fit the Grado SR60i. The stock pads do fit the Grado SR60i but because they are closed pads (like the original Grado SR60i comfy pads), the sound is not so "open". Hence, I decided to open them up with the so called "reverse quarter mod".

Sennheiser HD414 pads are packed with this label

The reverse quarter mod refers to taking an American quarter and using it as a guide to cut a hole in the HD414 pads. The "reverse" part refers to using this newly cut hole to stretch over the Grado cans. It is "reversed" in the sense that you are using the "ear side" of the pads on the cans and the original hole now sits on your ears. Do take note that you do not turn the pads inside out.

Since I am from Singapore and do not have an American quarter on me, I used a Singaporean 50 cents coin as it is almost the same diameter.

Place the Singaporean 50 cents (or American quarter) on the inside of the HD414 pads and use a sharp knife to cut around it

You will end up with something like this

Here's how it looks like with the center part removed

Take this pad with the new hole facing the Grado SR60i cans...

...and stretch them over the cans. Don't worry, the pads are quite stretchy. Remember, use the 50 cents (quarter) hole to stretch over the cans.

All done. Enjoy your funky yellow coloured Grado!

So far the Grado with HD414 pads are sounding great. The HD414 pads are softer and get less hot than the original Grado pads. They are also lighter and seem to have more air in them (more porous). I hope they last a little longer. They do cost less than the Grado pads. Hope you enjoyed this guide.

Grado Prestige Series Model SR60i and HD414 pads (reverse quarter mod)

Grado Prestige Series Model SR60i and HD414 pads (reverse quarter mod)

Lego City Space Moon Buggy 3365

Bought this recently at a local department store. Its a moon buggy and an astronaut. The six wheeled vehicle reminds me of an old sci-fi TV series which I watched as a small boy - Space 1999! Here are the pictures!

The minifig comes with a cap and a spacesuit. The spacesuit is mounted on the moon buggy when not in use. He is wearing the cap at the moment.

 Probably back in Houston testing the moon buggy. The buggy has a radar dish mounted high.

The back of the moon buggy has a foldable armature with a saw like device attached. It is meant to be used for gathering moon rock samples.

Testing the sample rock extractor.

Spacesuit on! It looks quite baulky and the booklet seems to suggest this is similar to the actual moon landing spacesuits. Urm... nah!

With spacesuit on and driving the moon buggy!

Quite a neat little set. The spacesuit looks kinda big. I may modify this somewhat as it looks quite plain at the moment.

Lego Ninjago - Ninja Ambush 2258

"As part of his training to become the Spinjitzu Master of Fire, Kai is sent into the bamboo forest by Sensei Wu to protect the Golden Scythe. Hit the button to launch a surprise attack on Bonezai before he steals it!"

Saw this are Carrefour and hey... ninjas! Cool ninja! In Red! The official marketing tag line is pretty cheezy. Bonezai indeed! On to the pictures!

Here is the bamboo forest ambush prop. You can see the Golden Scythe on the right. That red tab would have given away the trap easily before Ninja Kai can fly.

Red ninja Kai! He looks intense and ready to slice!

Minifigs are not very poseable. But Kai manages to get by....

Here's how the ambush works. In reality, flight distance is limited and Kai will tumble all over the place.

Bonezai looking quite happy with a battle axe.

Ambush sequence! You can see Kai emerging from the bamboo trees and hacking Bonezai to a million pieces. Zai removes his ninja mask and you can see a scar right across his left eye.

Red Ninja Kai - Front

Red Ninja Kai - back

Here's Kai posing in front of our world travelling photojournalist.

"Great job Kai. The world owes you for removing Bonezai!"

Lego Rebel Trooper Battle Pack 8083

Picked this up some time back and fixed it up. Its quite a good set with 4 minifigs from the Star Wars Hoth setting. These minifigs are Hoth Officer (1), Hoth Rebel Troopers (2) and Zev Senesca (1) in an orange flight suit ready to pilot a Snowspeeder. A vehicle is included, although it does not seem to be from any actual Star Wars movie or its related fictional world except Lego. On to the pictures!

Here's the set assembled. The vehicle fits on figure while the rest go on foot. There are enough weapons for each of the figures. The visor of the Rebel Troopers can be fitted over their heads or over their eyes. The Hoth Officer spots a moustache. All of them seem to look rather grim.

Here is a side view of the vehicle. There is a pair of cannons mounted and its intended for the driver to be the gunner as well. There is a bin in front of the cannon which I suppose a droid count be fitted for navigation control.

Another view of the vehicle. You can see that the missiles can be launched by pushing the tail end until they snap loose and fly - for a short distance.

Hoth Officer, trooper and Zev looking grim. The rebel base was eventually attacked and overrun by Imperial AT-AT and the ruthless Stormtroopers.

Rebels ready for action! One of the rebel trooper has his visor down and sports a rifle with scope.

It is possible to reconfigure the vehicle to allow a driver.

In this configuration, one trooper drives while another can focus on targeting the imperial scum. Zev can be seen leaving the stronghold to grab a Snowspeeder.

Another look at this new configuration.

Update: Apparently, the vehicle is called a Rebel Laser Ice-cutter and was used in the rebel Echo Base on Hoth. It appeared in one scene along with the Snowspeeders in the hanger. The Ice-cutters were used to cut out Echo Base from the ice. There was supposed to be a scene where Wampas attacked the base and which Luke manned one of these Ice-cutters to shoot down the Wampas. You can read more about it over here: Rebel Laser Ice-cutter

Arrakis - Dune - Desert Planet

Apparently, if you did a google image search on "Dune desert planet", you will get to see the above space painting which I did in 2007 on the first page! Wow! I should do more space paintings!

Anyway, I did enjoy the sci-fi novel Dune and have since reread it several times. One of the best and most epic sci-fi.